Willow River Elementary school gets well for research

• Teacher Kevin Knoke, left, with well driller David McCullough

Willow River teacher Kevin Knoke, left, standing with David McCullough, explained to students how the monitoring well will work. Photo by Meg Heaton
• Willow River Elementary students gathered to watch well drilling

Most of the students at Willow River Elementary gathered in the cinder lot adjacent to the school to watch a monitoring well being drilled and to express their appreciation to the company that did it free of charge, McCullough and Sons Well Drilling of Forest Lake, Minn. Photo by Meg Heaton
• David McCullough, right, and Jon Hokenson of McCullough and Sons Well Drilling

David McCullough, right, and Jon Hokenson of McCullough and Sons Well Drilling explained the process of drilling the monitoring well in a corner of the cinder lot adjacent to Willow River Elementary students. The firm donated its services. Photo by Meg Heaton

Talk about it

Almost the entire student body of Willow River Elementary turned out to watch McCullough and Sons Well Drilling of Forest Lake, Minn., sink a research well on the cinder lot adjacent to the school.

The well was the brainchild of Willow fifth-grade teacher Kevin Knoke, who said it is designed for all types of water research that his students and students across the district can conduct. “This project will better enable us to teach our students in a real-world environment,” he said. “We can use real-world science and show how groundwater and surface water are interconnected and how both are vital natural resources and need to be protected.”

Knoke said Willow River and the school district worked in conjunction with the Wisconsin DNR and Tim Caruso, Hudson’s director of public utilities, to get the necessary permission to install the well.

Knoke said the well is part of the first stage of a rain garden that is planned for the area.

The drill McCullough brought in to do the job was as tall as the well was deep. David McCullough said the depth would range between 40 to 65 feet depending on the rock and soil they came across.

The well will be secured with a lockable cap and other safety measures to ensure that there is no risk of unauthorized access.

Knoke said the entire cost of drilling the well, approximately $5,000, was donated by McCullough, which frequently does work for businesses in western Wisconsin.

“I just looked them up in the Yellow Pages and asked if they would be interested. David’s dad didn’t hesitate and said, ‘Just let us know where to come.’ We’re very grateful to them.”

Pipe and other materials used in the well also were donated – by Goodin Co. in the Twin Cities.

Tags: news, education, environment